Power Rangers: Legacy Force
by RemyCool
Summary: A mysterious stranger from the future must gather a group of heroes to protect the last of the power and restore the balance of good and evil.
1. It's Time

POWER RANGERS: LEGACY FORCE

The year is 3025, and the Universal Morphing Grid is all but used up. It falls to one former Ranger to gather the last remnants of the power and train the new generation. Are these teenagers with attitude up to the challenge of saving the world and restoring the grid? Only time will tell.

AUGUST 9TH, 3025 - 10:43 AM PST

SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE KANSAS CITY

In a quiet field in Kansas, on a quiet summer morning, a shadowy figure faded into existence. Taking in the late morning sun, he turned to the west and began his journey. He could sense the power, what was left of it.

After thousands of years and millions of villains, the power was almost depleted. But he would have what remained. It was his purpose. As he strode towards his goal, the being had only one thought.

_It's time._

ANGEL GROVE, CALIFORNIA

"It's time."

Standing on the high plateau, a lone figure observed the silence in the hills around him. He knew what was coming. His visions growing stronger by the day, he had been preparing for months. Behind him stood a large complex. Destroyed over a millennium ago, it had been rebuilt and restored, ready to resume its purpose once more. To monitor the Earth for any threat and alert her champions to action.

The Command Center had been reborn.

_However_, he thought,_ with Zordon long since destroyed, a new mentor shall be needed._ Turning, he strode into the chamber. Once inside, he began consulting a computer database. It had information on hundreds of people, categorized by color and generation. A complete history of every Power Ranger who had ever existed.

His first task was to contact Katie, a veteran Ranger who lived not far from here. She was retired as both a Ranger and a member of Time Force. At the very least, though, she could give him access to a time vortex. He knew that his destiny, and possibly the fate of the universe, lay in the past.

He had to try.

AUGUST 10TH, 3025 - 9:15 AM PST

10 MILES OUTSIDE SILVER CITY, CALIFORNIA

It's going to be a beautiful day, Katie thought. She had lived here in the woods outside the city for the last five years, ever since her retirement from law enforcement. The quiet of the country was a pleasant change of pace from her younger days as the Yellow Ranger. As she thought back to that time, she found herself wondering about Jen. After the incident in 2002 Turtle Cove, Jen had decided to resign from Time Force and remain in the past with Wes.

Katie had often thought about looking Jen and Wes up in the archives, curious to know how their life turned out, but never brought herself to do it. Jen would have died over 900 years ago, a thought too disturbing for her to conjure.

"_It's funny how things work out, isn't it," _she said to no one in particular. Naturally, she was surprised to hear a voice answer back,_ "It all depends on how you see the world. Is it black and white, or shades of gray?"_


	2. Time for a favor

Katie turned around to see who's voice had intruded on her thoughts. She found herself face to face with a young man. He was fair-skinned with bright blue eyes, his long brown hair blowing lightly with the morning breeze. "Who are you?", she asked him, "and what are you doing here."

"Pardon my intrusion, Miss Walker. I didn't mean to startle you," he responded, "My name is Karred. I come from the planet Eltar, and I'm here because we have something in common."

"And what would that be?"

He appeared thoughtful for a moment. "It could be our common devotion to justice. Maybe, it's our firm bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. But, if I had to guess, I'd say it would be this." He pulled back the sleeve of his jacket, exposing a sleek, slender device resting on his wrist.

Katie's eyes widened at the sight of it. It was an unfamiliar design, but there was no doubt in her mind what the device was or what it meant about this young man. "A morpher" she breathed.

"Yes. A Vortex Morpher, to be precise. Series Diamond."

"You're one of them. A Power Ranger."

"Strange. I was certain you'd say one of _us. I suppose it's been a while, but I figured you would still count yourself among our number."_

"_I'm not a Ranger. Not anymore. I'm retired from Time Force, and I passed on my Chrono Morpher a decade and a half ago. If you came for my help, you're wasting your time."_

"_I did come for your help, but not as a Ranger. I came because you have a close friendship with the current head of Time Force, Lucas Kendall."_

"_That's right. I have lunch every week with him and his wife, Nadira. They'll be here in two hours."_

"_I know. What I was hoping is that you would assist me in asking him a favor."_

"_What sort of favor?"_

"_I need a time vortex."_

_Katie stood there, silently considering him for a moment. Finally, she said, "Maybe you should come inside, and start from the beginning."_

"_Happy to," he replied, following her towards the house._

_12:15 AM PST_

_Lunch had gone well enough. Katie had introduced Karred as a colleague from out of town, which she supposed was true enough. After the introductions, they had a pleasant lunch and before long Lucas and Nadira were chatting with the young stranger as if they were old friends._

_Afterwards, while Katie and Nadira were planning a shopping trip for the next weekend, Lucas pulled Karred aside and said, "Katie told me about you. She said you needed a favor."_

"_Yes, Commander Kendall, I do. And I wouldn't ask if it wasn't of the utmost importance."_

"_She said you were a Ranger who needed access to a time vortex. What for?"_

"_I need to go to the past and recruit a veteran Ranger for an important mission. The grid is failing. I need to assemble a team to protect and rebuild it."_

"_So you need this veteran Ranger to train the team? What does that have to do with time travel? I could call Trip and Circuit. They run the Time Force Academy. I'm sure they…"_

"_I appreciate the offer, Commander," Karred spoke, cutting Lucas off, "but I can't have just any Ranger. This Ranger is the only one who can lead these new kids. He has the heart and the fire to make them into a team. Unfortunately, he died almost a thousand years ago."_

"_Who is this guy?"_

"_His name is Adam Park. If I can find him, and he accepts my offer, then he'll be the new Red Ranger."_


	3. Adam

**Author's Note: **In case some of you are wondering why I chose Adam, I think it's time for Adam to step into the red. Tommy has had his time in the spotlight, and now he's retired. Let's let him enjoy the quiet life in Reefside with Haley and his fossils. Adam rocks, and I always wondered what it would be like if he became the Red Ranger. Thanks for reading, and please keep reviewing. I welcome any and all feedback.

SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2010 3:55 PM PST

PARK DOJO - ANGEL GROVE, CALIFORNIA

He hadn't morphed in three years.

That was the thought that was constantly on Adam Park's mind. He thought back to that day with the Overdrive team, when he had led a team of veteran Rangers alongside the new team against Thrax, the son of his old enemies Zedd and Rita. It was his first time in action in almost a decade. While he didn't admit it at the time, it had excited him being the Black Ranger again. At that moment, it had all come flooding back. Every memory of every morph, every villain, every Zord, and every adventure.

Of course, as all good things must, it ended all too quickly. Thrax had been destroyed and his alliance defeated. The Overdrive team, their powers restored, resumed their duties. Adam's team, short-lived as it was, resumed the quiet lives they had been living since they had retired from active duty.

And Adam came home to his dojo, this time with an old friend in tow. Alpha 5 had been invaluable in repairing the morphing grid, and Adam had returned the robot's favor by offering him a place in his dojo as an assistant. _He never fails to please_, thought Adam.

"Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi!" Alpha cried, announcing himself in his usual manner, "Adam! Please come downstairs. Your afternoon class will be here in five minutes."

Adam looked up from what should have been his daily meditation. As he stood up, he heard something fall to the floor. Looking down, he saw his old morphed at his feet. It was then that he remembered what had occupied his thoughts. Why did he miss it so much? Why couldn't he let it go like his friends? Tommy had been retired for several years, his return to action a reluctant one. The others hadn't morphed in over a decade, not since passing on their powers to T.J. and his team. They had all let go and moved on. So had he, or so he thought. Yet, he could not deny how it felt to once again raise his morphed and call upon the power of the mastodon, becoming the Black Ranger.

"It's never easy to let go of something like that," a mysterious voice interrupted, "especially when it was such a defining period in your life."

Adam spun around, finding himself in a fighting stance without realizing it. He found the owner of the voice to be a young man with light skin and brown hair, which he wore long. "Peace, my friend," his intruder said, "I mean you no harm. In fact, I came seeking help."

"What can I do for you?" Adam asked.

"My name is Karred. You and I have never met, but we are kindred spirits," he replied, pulling back his sleeve to reveal the morpher on his wrist. Adam did his best to keep a calm demeanor, but his heart was racing all the same.

"How can I help a fellow Ranger?"

"It's a long story. Perhaps we should discuss it more after your class."

5:00 PM PST

"I come from the planet Eltar," Karred began.

"Isn't that where Zordon came from?" Adam asked.

"It is. Zordon was a legend among our people, not just in your time, but mine as well."

"You're from the future?" Adam thought back to one of the Rangers he had worked with three years ago. Officer Bridge Carson was a Red Ranger from a future team he had called Space Patrol Delta. Adam chuckled to himself, remembering the young man with a fondness for buttered toast.

"The year 3025, to be precise," Karred continued, "and it's important that I get you back there as soon as possible."

"Wait a second. You want me to travel over a thousand years through time? What for?"

"Among my people, clairvoyance is a common ability. We can see vague shadows of the future. Lately, I have been having visions of a powerful foe. I don't know who he is, but I do know that he intends to take the power and twist it to his own desires."

"The power? You mean the power of the morphing grid. But I thought the power was infinite. Nobody can just take it, can they?"

"I'm afraid they can. Unfortunately, the grid was not completely repaired three years ago. Alpha 5 did a superb job in repairing it, but there was one small crack left. I believe it was a backup left by Thrax, in the event of his defeat. For over a thousand years, this leak has caused the grid to slowly decay to the point of near extinction."

"So the grid is dying, and you need me to repair it?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"It's a basic law of science. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. The power has been leaking from the grid, but it didn't dissipate. It found new places to dwell. It found its way into ordinary creatures and objects, twisting and corrupting them."

"Monsters."

"You guessed it. It's my firm belief that if we can find these monsters and defeat them, we can release the lost power and restore it to the grid. Once all the power has been retrieved, we can close the gap and return the grid to normal."

"So you need a team to take on these monsters, but why do you need me?"

"Two reasons. First, I need an experienced Ranger to lead the team in battle. The way you led those Rangers three years ago against Thrax was inspiring. It has become a legend in my time. It was the day you stepped into the light to lead the Rangers in victory."

"And the second reason?"

"I have reason to believe that your connection to the grid may be the key to restoring the grid."

Adam sat silently for several minutes, considering Karred's words. He was reluctant to leave his dojo, and had reservations about going to the future. However, he knew that some small part of him still missed the fight. This might be his last chance. Could he really afford to pass it up?

"I'm in," he finally said, "But on one condition."

"Name it," Karred replied.

"Alpha comes."


	4. Legacy Force, powers unite!

SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2010 9:00 AM PST

"Are you sure about this, man?" he asked. Rocky DeSantos had been a close friend of Adam's since long before becoming Rangers, and was surprised when asked to run the dojo in his friend's absence. "I miss being a Ranger sometimes, too, but I don't go time-hopping after the first morpher that comes along."

Adam was barely listening. He knew that Rocky had a point, but he also knew this was something he had to do. Once a Ranger, always a Ranger. That was what they had said that day in San Angeles. Powers or not, he was still honor-bound as a Ranger to protect the power. So he had accepted Karred's offer and made all the necessary arrangements.

"Adam? Are you in there, bro?" Rocky was becoming concerned.

"I hear you, Rock. Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

"Alright, Adam. You're my friend, and if you say you've got to do this, I believe you."

"Thanks, man."

"Take care of yourself." The two friends embraced and then Adam climbed into the driver's seat of his jeep.

Next to him, Alpha 5 sat in the passenger's seat, eagerly waiting for them to start their adventure.

"Keep him out of trouble, Alpha."

"I'll do my best, Rocky. Ay-yi-yi."

Rocky watched them drive off, hoping it wouldn't be the last time he saw his friends.

9:45 AM PST

OUTSIDE ANGEL GROVE

45 minutes later, Adam and Alpha met up with Karred in the desert where the Command Center once stood. The jeep came to a stop near a large ship, clearly the time ship Karred had arrived in. Outside the ship, Karred stood talking to a man in a crisp, official-looking uniform.

"Adam, glad you could make it. This is Commander Lucas Kendall, of Time Force." Adam took Lucas' hand and shook it, greeting the veteran Ranger.

"Commander Kendall has just informed me that we're ready to leave as soon as your gear is loaded. We've got one more stop to make, and then we'll head back to 3025."

"Where are we going?"

"There's someone very special I want you to meet."

MAY 29TH, 2085 3:25 PM PST

TURTLE COVE, CALIFORNIA

Fate rarely calls on us at a moment of our choosing. Such is the case of young Bobby James. When the 16-year-old woke up this morning, he had no idea that it would be the most important day of his life. Even now, walking through the park, he was completely unaware of what fate had in store for him.

Then the explosion happened.

The bomb went off ten feet from where he was standing, knocking him to the ground. When the smoke cleared, he could see a strange being standing at the edge of the crater. Bobby knew, somehow, that he was responsible for what just happened. He also knew that the being was looking directly at him.

The being, a tall figure dressed in black, took one powerful leap and landed on the other side of the crater. He was now just a few feet from Bobby. Bobby scrambled to get away, but the stranger was faster. He grabbed Bobby and lifted him in the air, ready to strike. Bobby shut his eyes, bracing himself for what was coming.

"STOP!" a powerful voice said. Both Bobby and the stranger looked towards the man in red who had called out. He stood there, confidence rolling off of him as he stared the stranger down. Bobby breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that whoever this was, he was sure of what he was doing.

Then Bobby took a second look at this newcomer and his heart started racing again. Bobby was a fan of the Power Rangers, having followed their exploits his entire life. He had even spent many an afternoon on the Net, researching the Rangers of the past. So when his gaze focused on his rescuer, he almost instantly recognized him.

"Adam Park."

He barely breathed the words, yet they were heard by everyone within earshot. The Power Rangers were legends, not just in Turtle Cove, but around the world. Adam was one of the earliest, but he was a legend among the likes of Anubis Cruger and Sky Tate, Mike and Leo Corbett, and the great Dr. Tommy Oliver, a former teammate of Adam's. All eyes became focused on the stranger and the legend as they stared each other down.

Suddenly, another newcomer arrived on the scene. "Adam! Wait, I forgot to give you something," he said. The young man ran up to Adam and handed him a sleek looking device. Adam accepted it without a word and strapped it on his wrist. "Follow my lead, Adam," the young man said.

He raised his arm, sporting a device similar to the one he had given Adam. Pressing a button, he shouted "Legacy Force!" as he crossed his arms. Then, raising the device to the sky, he cried out, "Powers unite!" There was a brilliant flash of light, and, suddenly, the young man was replaced by a striking figure in a white suit with a matching helmet. His chest sported a stylized silver lightning bolt and he had a blaster strapped to his belt.

Adam had been watching intently as the young man, now clearly identifiable as a Ranger, had morphed. He followed suit. "Legacy Force, powers unite!" After another bright flash, Adam stood in a suit similar to his companions, the only difference being the red coloring it featured.

Bobby took in the scene in awe. He had been rescued from certain death by two Power Rangers! This was quickly shaping up to be a great day. He watched in fascination as the two heroes engaged the stranger in combat. It was a dream come true, seeing Adam in action. As he watched the veteran Ranger kick and punch, he couldn't help but be amazed at his skills. He and his partner worked together flawlessly, fluidly moving in tandem as if they had been doing this for years.

Within moments, they had backed the stranger to the edge of the crater. The stranger, exhausted from the battle, hesitated. He had come on a simple task. He hadn't expected to face two Rangers. The boy was beyond his reach now. He would have to bide his time and try again later. Seeing no other option, he turned and leapt into the air, vanishing in mid-leap.

Bobby barely had time to gather himself before a pair of strong arms, covered in white, grabbed him.


	5. The New Team

TIME AND DATE UNKNOWN

ABOARD TIME FORCE TIME SHIP

"You have one minute to explain to me why we kidnapped that kid or I am out!"

Karred could understand Adam's anger. It wasn't his intent to kidnap Bobby. However, the stranger had altered his plans and forced his hand. Somehow, the stranger knew who Bobby was and what his destiny would be. It became necessary to take him for his own safety, as well as the role he had to play in Karred's plan.

"That boy is important to our mission, Adam. I took him because his attacker failed to eliminate him and would almost certainly return to finish the job. I appreciate that you didn't try to stop me, as well as your assistance in fighting him."

"Who is he? Why is he so important?"

""His name is Bobby James. If my visions are correct, and I have no reason to believe they aren't, he will be the Blue Ranger."

"He's just a kid, though."

"Yes. An extremely bright and enthusiastic kid. He has the fire within him. He just needs to be guided."

"That's where I come in. But he's so young."

"So were you, not that long ago. You were still in high school when you first became a Ranger, were you not?"

Adam thought back to that day in the Command Center, to his first and only meeting with Zack Taylor, who he was to replace as the Black Ranger. It seemed like a lifetime ago, but he still remembered that day perfectly. It was the first day of the rest of his life.

"I assure you, Adam. He's in good hands with us. Once we get him to 3025, he'll join up with the rest of our team and be safe."

"What if he can't handle it?"

"I have faith in him. After all, he'll have a good teacher."

AUGUST 15TH, 3025 10:00 AM PST

THE COMMAND CENTER

Events moved quickly from there. Adam and Alpha had been pleased to see the Command Center restored, and Bobby was overjoyed to be standing in a piece of Ranger history. Lucas was glad to see the team coming together, but he needed to get back to Time Force.

Meanwhile, Karred had helped his new teammates settle in to their new home. A couple of days later, Karred returned to the Command Center with three teenagers in tow. One was a boy dressed in green. He looked nervous, but nevertheless excited at seeing the technology of the Command Center. _He must be the brains_, thought Adam. Watching the boy poke around all the sophisticated equipment, Adam was reminded of Billy and how enthusiastic he would be in the presence of such technology.

The other two teens were twin girls, one in yellow and one in pink. The girls were very open to what was going on, and didn't hesitate to make themselves at home, introducing themselves to Adam and Bobby as Ellen and Heather Grant. They were both tall with slim builds and seemed to keep themselves in shape. Adam thought they reminded him of Kimberly.

Finally, Karred gathered the group together. "Welcome, my young friends, to the Command Center. Here is where you will take the first steps towards you're destiny."

Karred took out a box and opened it. Adam noticed that it held four morphers, similar to the ones he and Karred wore. As he held the box out, Bobby and the other three teens each took one and strapped it to their wrists.

"These are your Vortex Morphers. With these you will become the guardians of a great power, and the legacy that comes with it. You will become the latest generation of Power Rangers," Karred said. Motioning to Adam, he continued, "This is Adam Park, a legendary veteran Ranger from the past. He has agreed to come to this time and lead your team as the new Red Ranger." He then turned to Bobby. "Bobby James is also from the past, although not as far back as Adam. He is here to be your Blue Ranger. Now if you'll kindly continue the introductions?"

The young man, still a little nervous, turned to the group and said, "My name is David Fuller. I guess I'm the Green Ranger."

Ellen stepped forward and introduced herself as the Yellow Ranger, and Heather followed suit, introducing herself as the Pink Ranger. Karred introduced himself as the Diamond Ranger, and then introduced Alpha 5 before instructing the team to gather around the viewing globe. On the globe, several images of monsters played.

"These monsters were created by the energy of the Universal Morphing Grid. The grid is a cosmic power source that provides Rangers their power. Back in 2007, a being named Thrax attacked the Rangers of the Operation: Overdrive team and severed their connection to the grid, damaging it. With the assistance of Adam and Alpha, a group of veteran Rangers were able to repair the grid and restore the powers of the Overdrive Rangers. They defeated Thrax and his alliance, but there was a small fracture left in the grid. Ever since, it has been leaking energy into the universe and corrupting beings and items across the world."

"They became monsters," Adam continued, "and were rounded up by this man" An image of the stranger appeared on the globe. "We don't know who he is or who he works for, but he wants to find the crack and infiltrate the grid so he can steal the last remnants of the power, either for himself or whoever he works for. That's where we come in. Our job is to stop these monsters and retrieve the fragments of the power so we can restore the grid and repair it completely."

Suddenly, the alarm went off. Alpha rushed to his monitor to pinpoint the location of the disturbance. "Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi!" he shouted, "It's coming from downtown Reefside, Adam."

"Looks like it's time for your first test, guys," Adam said. The team quickly got in formation and activated their morphers as the shouted in unison.

"Legacy Force, powers unite!"


	6. Trial by Fire

How could one describe the morphing process? That's the question that went through Bobby's mind as he morphed for the first time. It was different being the one morphing. Earlier, when he had seen Karred and Adam morph, he had seen a bright flash of energy, and then Karred and Adam were replaced by the Diamond and Red Rangers. It was instantaneous.

Now, however, it was different. Time seemed to slow down as he was enveloped by a swirling vortex of blue energy. As he watched the vortex swirl around him, he thought he could see something. Peering closer, he recognized the shapes in the vortex as Blue Rangers of the past. They surrounded him as if they were lending him their strength. He could now see them all, converging on him. From Billy Cranston to Max Cooper. From Tori Hanson to Flynn McCallister. Beyond them, even more Blue Rangers flowing into him, making their strength his. The energy converged on him as he found himself wearing a blue uniform.

Suddenly, he found himself facing a Blue Ranger he didn't recognize. With surprise, he realized that it was only a blue helmet. His blue helmet. He reached for it and, suddenly, he was wearing it. Just like that, the vortex vanished and the morph was complete. He was a Power Ranger.

He looked to each side and saw the others. Red. Green. Yellow. Pink. Diamond. Six heroes in six brightly colored outfits with matching helmets. Each had a blaster at their hip. Bobby was overcome with a sense of pride. They were a team. More than that, they were his team. The Power Rangers.

They teleported into their first battle.

10:05 AM PST

DOWNTOWN REEFSIDE

They arrived on the scene to find people fleeing in panic. _You'd think they would be used to this by now_, thought Adam. After all, Tommy's last team of Ranger had operated out of Reefside. He had to remind himself that was over a thousand years ago.

Within moments, he located the cause of the trouble. The monster was as tall and ugly as any Adam remembered. It let loose bolts of energy at anything in sight, acting on pure instinct.

"Alright, guys," he said, "This is it. That thing won't stop until it's destroyed everything. It's up to us to take it down."

His team nodded in agreement and rushed into battle. They flanked him, David and Ellen taking the front while Bobby and Heather closed in from behind. Adam and Karred watched as the younger Rangers. Attacked and countered, trading blows with the beast as he fought back with everything he had.

"Not bad," Adam observed.

"I'm a good judge of character," Karred replied.

Not wanting to be left out of the action, Adam decided to jump in. He leaped, somersaulting through the air, as he drew his blaster and aimed. A shot rang out from the blaster and hit the monster square in the chest. Sparks flew and the impact knocked the monster back.

The others took the cue and drew their own blasters, firing in unison at the beast. It was working and the monster reeled back from the flurry of bolts. Finally, Adam said, "He's weak. Let's finish him. Everyone call your weapons." He raised a hand out and called out, "Red Power Sword!" With a brilliant red flash, a magnificent sword appeared in his hand.

Bobby followed suit, calling out, "Blue Defender Shield!" The others joined in with David's Green Charge Blaster, Ellen's Yellow Turbo Blader, and Heather's Pink Striker Bow. They assembled their weapons and aimed the powerful supergun at the monster. "Legacy Cannon, FIRE!" they shouted in unison as Adam pulled the trigger. A tremendous ball of energy burst forth from the weapon and struck the monster, evaporating him.

The other Rangers cheered, and began celebrating their victory. Adam, however, knew better than celebrating too soon. His fears were confirmed when, moments later, the sky grew dark. The Rangers stopped and looked to the spot where the monster had fallen just in time to see a bolt of lightning strike, energizing the creature's remains.

In an instant, the monster had grown to enormous proportions. Towering over the city streets, he resumed his path of destruction, tearing into buildings left and right. The other Rangers were stunned, but Adam had been through this a hundred times before and knew what to do. "Alright, guys. It's time for the Zords. Red Dragon Zord, arise!"

A huge robotic red dragon soared in from the horizon, zooming towards the Red Ranger. As it passed overhead, Adam took a tremendous leap and landed perfectly in the cockpit of his new zord. As the others called their zords, the dragon was joined by a blue eagle, a green gorilla, a yellow tiger, and a pink stallion. The zords charged forward, attacking the beast both high and low. The beast lashed out knocking them away. They spun out of control for a moment, but quickly regained control.

"Let's put them together, team. It's Megazord time!" Adam said.

Suddenly, the zords began twisting and reshaping. The dragon had transformed into a warrior as the other zords converged on him. The Gorilla became the arms and helmet. The Stallion and Tiger zords became the legs. The Eagle zord latched onto the back, giving the armored robotic warrior wings. The five Rangers came together in the central cockpit to pilot their mighty vehicle.

Meanwhile, on the ground, Karred found himself face to face with the stranger. The Silver Ranger drew his weapon, a Bo staff, and faced the mysterious being. "Who are you?" he demanded, "What do you want?"

"These questions are not important, Silver Ranger, because you won't live long enough for the answers to matter."

The stranger drew a sword and attacked.


	7. Old Friends and New Beginnings

Karred had never fought so hard in his life. The stranger was obviously very skilled in combat, demonstrating his prowess by launching one flurry of strikes after another. The Diamond Ranger blocked each and every blow as best he could, but he could feel himself tiring. He knew that he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.

Meanwhile, the other Rangers were finishing off the monster. It had finally weakened to the point that Adam said, "Let's see what this baby's made of, guys What do you say?"

The others voiced their agreement, not wanting to ignore the advice of a living legend. They jumped into action, activating the MegaZord's main weapon, a large fiery sword.

"Legendary Strike!" they shouted in unison as the MegaZord launched forward spinning into one final strike, slicing the beast in half. A large explosion ended the beast, leaving behind a glowing ball of energy that floated in the air. Adam found himself captivated by the power, sensing something familiar about it. Looking deeper, he thought he saw…the Mastodon Zord!

Adam couldn't believe his eyes. It was, without a doubt, the power of the Black Ranger he was seeing. His old power. He had thought it lost forever, but there it was in front of him. Bobby noticed that Adam had frozen and tried to snap him out of it. "Adam? Are you all right?"

Down below, the stranger had managed to overpower Karred long enough to break away from the combat and attempt to retrieve the power fragment. Karred tried to give chase, but he was too weak. He fell to the ground, powering down as he did.

Out of the corner of his eye, Adam saw the stranger leaping towards the power. Moving purely on instinct, Adam powered down and reached for his original morpher. He held it forward and opened it, calling out "Mastodon!" at the top of his lungs. This time, though, he wasn't unleashing the power. He was retrieving it. The power rushed through the air and surged into the power coin at the heart of the morpher. The stranger tried to grab it, missing by just an inch. Cursing under his breath, he vanished in mid-air.

Adam closed the morpher. He looked at the coin bearing the symbol of the mastodon, hearing it's cry. It felt good to have his old powers back in his grasp. Then he looked around the cock pit of the MegaZord. His team looked on in awe at the veteran Ranger. He looked at the morpher on his wrist and the one in his hand. At once, he knew what his path was. His time as the Black Ranger was over. So was his tenure as the Green Ranger. Karred was right. He had changed that day in San Angeles. These kids needed more than just a Red Ranger. They needed a friend and a mentor. They needed a leader.

Adam put his old morpher back on his belt and remorphed into the Red Ranger of Legacy Force. This was his destiny. This was where he belonged.

AUGUST 16TH, 3025 2:45 PM PST

THE COMMAND CENTER

Adam put the antique morpher in the display case alongside his old uniform. Bobby and the others had wondered how they would get the power back into the morphing grid, but Adam knew that it already was. Zordon had forged the coins, connecting them to the grid. As soon as the power had returned to the coin, it had reconnected with the grid. It was safe.

Karred had told him that energy couldn't be created or destroyed. While the Zords, weapons, and uniforms that had comprised the old teams of Rangers had, one way or another, gone by the wayside, the power behind them had survived. They had simply reintegrated with the morphing grid, being recycled so that the next team could step in where the last one had left off. Nonetheless, each Ranger had left his or her mark on the power, continually evolving it throughout history. Adam was proud that he had played such a pivotal role in the legacy of the Power Rangers

And now he had been chosen to safeguard that legacy. His team was raw and inexperienced, but with time and training, Adam knew they would do the power proud. And yet, there was still one question that Adam needed answered.

"Why did you pick Bobby?" he asked Karred.

"To be our Blue Ranger," he replied, "Why else?"

"I'm not debating that Bobby would make a great Ranger. I just want to know why you specifically chose him. You could have chosen anybody from this time. Instead, you chose some kid from forty years ago. Why?"

"I chose all of us for a reason. I came because of Zordon. He was once my teacher, and he said that I should safeguard the power should anything happen to him. Once I became aware of the breach in the grid, I put my plans in motion."

"And you chose me because of my Ranger history and my connection to the power. What about Bobby?"

"Bobby has a connection to the power that he is not even aware of. I don't know the nature of the connection, but I am certain that it will be important to our mission. You were able to recapture you former powers, ensuring their survival in case they are needed again. However, you were only able to do so because of your personal ties to it. It might not be so easy with the other powers we encounter. I'm just making sure we have our bases covered."

"And the others?"

"I chose the others for the same reason you were once chosen. They're teenagers with attitude."

Adam smiled at the familiar words. They reminded him of younger days, when six kids from Southern California took on the universe. Earlier, it seemed like a lifetime ago. Now it seemed like only yesterday when he would spar with Rocky and Tommy or listen to Billy ramble on about his latest invention or simply revel in another victory over Zedd and Rita.

At that moment, Adam looked at his team. Bobby was still psyched about becoming the very hero he had idolized. Ellen and Heather were talking with him, trading jokes and smiling happily. David was standing to the side, still uncomfortable in his new environment. He was smiling though, listening to the conversation and bonding with his teammates. They were celebrating. They had experienced their first test and survived. The road ahead would be long and arduous. They would face tests of character and moments of doubt. But, if they could learn to overcome their differences and work as a team, they would see each other through. Because they were teenagers with attitude. They were heroes. They were the Power Rangers.

**Don't worry. This story is over but the adventures of Legacy Force are only beginning. Stay tuned for the further adventures of Adam and his new team as they protect the legacy of Zordon and the Power Rangers.**


End file.
